In the US President Barack Obama (pictured above) is forecasting the biggest American deficit since World War 2. An incredible, massive $1.75 trillion deficit for the 2009 fiscal year is projected in Obama’s first budget, according to US officials who briefed reporters on the numbers. That is equal to 12.3% of US gross domestic product (GDP) - the largest share since 1945 when the country ran a shortfall of 21.5% of GDP. ”There are times when you can afford to redecorate your house,” Mr Obama said, “and there are times when you have to focus on rebuilding its foundations.”‘ So things are still better over in the US than in the UK then - because we’re not thinking about redecoration - we’re just trying to stave off repossession.

And President Obama has presented the legendary musician Stevie Wonder (both above) with a prestigious award, he joked that he might not even have got married without the legendary musician. The new President gave the singer-songwriter America’s highest award for popular music, the Library of Congress’ Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. President Obama, who called Wonder the “soundtrack of his youth”, praised his decades-long career. “I think it’s fair to say that had I not been a Stevie Wonder fan, Michelle might not have dated me, we might not have married,” he said and went on : ”Stevie was part of the essence of our courtship”. I wonder if over in the UK Stevie’s ”My Cherie Amour” similarly inspired the Blair’s romance ? Or was it because Tony was blind as well ?